From wastewater to clean fuel

Scientists synthesize a fibre that can generate hydrogen and fresh water from wastewater.

Biplab Das

A new study finds a way to use a platinum-coated, porous and hollow polymer fibre to produce clean fresh water and hydrogen from wastewater1.

A research team, led by Pascal Elias Saikaly from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia, used platinum layers, consisting of platinum nanoparticles, to coat the fibre; the particles do not block the surface pores.

The fibre’s pore diameter can effectively block the passage of bacteria, making it potentially useful as a microfiltration membrane in bioreactors for wastewater treatment and reuse.

A bioreactor made using this fibre produced hydrogen by reducing protons and electrons generated from the oxidation of organic matter in wastewater. The reactor functioned for two months with a negligible loss of current density, indicating its stability.

The fibre can also potentially convert industrial carbon dioxide waste into value-added products such as methane and acetate, explains Krishna Katuri, the lead author of the study.